The Somerset reporter., 1887-05-11
SELECTED.
MIKE.

Nobody would take little MIKE Mark
ham for heroine. nor would one sup
pose that little quiet figure po>scSseo
nerve enough to save hundreds of live
by her prompt action, but this was the
way of it; 1t was Il hot summer after
noon, and the most absolute quiet rcigned
over the little Sailroad station of Parkers
town, up in Northern New England, OF
THESE swell ering July days. Not even the
customary loatcrS were around, and only
at train time was there any show of life
The doWn-train WAS due at } To- but uu-
til then, rs the sensational writer's say
"all WAS quiet n the grave
MIMIC was the station agents daughter
and only child. She was H. although 81
small She looked three years younger. and
was usually quiet aS mouSe-"not much
zip to her, as the country folks said In
spite of the current opinion, however she
had, except the small portion of time
which the little country town set apart for
the school season, spent nearly all of her
time in the tickct-ollico with her father,
picking up, letter by letter and word by
word, the sounds of the Morse n>trn-
mcnt; and, finally. one day she a>tuniShed
her father by taking Telegram by sound,
givin" him Il neat copy
From that day NiNic was installed a>
telegraph operator and the indulgent
father often said Nick could run that Of
flee jest As well rs he could himself, -
which, considering that Mr. Markham
was considered by the boys II plug oprr-
ator; might he called doubtful c0mpli.
mcnt to Mike.
Well this particular afternoon we are
talking about the aforesaid plug saun-
tered into the depot with trouble en-
throned ON his majestic brow.
Nick. I'm summoned ON "A Jury case up
to the Centre Village this afternoon. Its
too late to get anybody here. even ,'pos-
ng there was anybody to get What are
we going to do about it? S'pose You can
tend the concern alone until get back
probably about six
81 guess 50. father" replied Mike.
There won't be much of anything to do
Likely there won't be many passengers
for the down train this hot day, and /
hope know enough to sell ticket or
two if there are"
well, see that those boxes 20 by cN-
press. The waybill> are ready and in the
drawer-gucSs you'll get along all right
and oil he went, leaving Mike mistress
of the situation which phrase meant
more than Won miubt IMAGINE that very
particular day.
AT first she felt her newly-acquainted
importance sompyba. and sfrnnrd hriskly
around ,lu.tin0 the mn.ty littIr unirr ,ni
watering the few plant. in fine vindnv
but there heinz absolutely nothina to dn
and no on coming near she dronnrd in
IN Inactivity ,ud listened IN tl,n ,Iirt Of
the trlenranh instrument which to her
was AZ rompauinnable AZ fine tall, nf unar
friends vnuId bn As thr afternoon
nasSrd drnwsiIv alona the heot AMI sin
moss ov,rcamr her and dranninr hon
haxeu head ON the desk before nor She
was soon-os one Of tho oood ladirs af
p,rknr.tnvu was wont to nvnr.ss II i'm
he arms of Nornljnr.
Afterwards the tir,t thin, she cou1l p.
member about if n voice seemino to come
from hnr dreams said. Paint IiL.t,. .be
i lrrt brrr alone and o.lrrn too
..\o =" resnnndrd another evil voic.
..thr old mans nrob.lv 'rnund somevbrr.
lint " in a lower tone come ON. let .
,,o lnno Tbr down train II IN, alamo md
wcU lust lay 'rm ont